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 Factsheet
RV-FS#01, Series of 2004

Did you know that . . .

in Bicol there could be women power at the polls?

Women dominate the electorate in Bicol Region. Statistics show that, in the last two elections, there were more women than men registered voters. And more importantly, more women actually voted in the same elections.

In the May 1998 elections, women comprised 51.3 percent of total registered voters, higher than 2.6 percentage points than men. Albay had the highest proportion of women registered voters at 51.9 percent. In terms of voters’ turnout during the same elections, women voters comprised 51.6 of those who actually voted, higher than 3.2 percentage points than men. Voters’ turnout is the proportion of voters who actually voted over total registered voters. Women voters’ turnout in Albay was 52.3 percent or 4.6 percentage points higher than that of men, the highest among the provinces. The dominance of women in the voters’ registration and in voters' turnout was true in all the provinces of Bicol in the 1998 elections.

Among provinces, the 1998 voters’ turnout was highest in Catanduanes (91.2 percent) followed by Albay (90.9 percent). Camarines Norte recorded the lowest (87.5 percent). As earlier indicated by the numbers, voters’ turnout among women was higher (90.3 percent) than men’s (89.2 percent). Between men and women in the provinces, the province of Albay exhibited the greatest turnout of women voters at 91.6 percent while Catanduanes had the highest turnout of men voters at 91 percent.
 
Number of Registered Voters by Sex and Province
Bicol Region: May 11, 1998 and May 14, 2001 Elections
  
Province May 11, 1998 Elections May 14, 2001 Elections
Total Female Male Total Female Male
 Region V 1,868,951   958,295   910,656   2,105,319   1,069,305   1,036,014  
 Albay 456,104   236,839   219,265   513,491   265,264   248,227  
 Camarines Norte 183,489   93,610   89,879   197,229   100,700   96,529  
 Camarines Sur 592,747   303,650   289,097   654,518   333,062   321,456  
 Catanduanes 88,723   45,651   43,072   106,445   54,147   52,298  
 Masbate 277,350   141,108   136,242   329,922   164,180   165,742  
 Sorsogon 270,538   137,437   133,101   303,714   151,952   151,762  
 
Number of Voters Who Actually Voted by Sex and Province
Bicol Region: May 11, 1998 and May 14, 2001 Elections
  
Province May 11, 1998 Elections May 14, 2001 Elections
Total Female Male Total Female Male
 Region V 1,677,457   865,454   812,003   1,699,570   872,095   827,475  
 Albay 414,790   216,881   197,909   429,075   223,108   205,967  
 Camarines Norte 160,582   82,617   77,965   151,511   78,224   73,287  
 Camarines Sur 528,589   272,522   256,067   521,011   267,325   253,686  
 Catanduanes 80,919   41,718   39,201   89,922   75,726   44,196  
 Masbate 247,950   126,898   121,052   259,814   132,184   127,630  
 Sorsogon 244,627   124,818   119,809   248,237   125,528   122,709  

 
During the May 14, 2001 elections, a slight decrease in the proportion of women registered voters was noted. Yet women still comprised more than half (50.8 percent) of the registered voters. Only the province of Masbate exhibited a slightly greater number of men than women registered voters. On Election Day however, there were more women (51.3 percent) than men who actually voted in all six provinces of the region. Albay consistently had the highest proportion of women who actually voted at 52 percent.

The May 14, 2001 elections saw a decline in voters’ turnout from 89.8 percent in 1998 to 80.7 percent in 2001. Voters’ turnout went to as low as 76.8 percent in Camarines Norte with the highest reaching only 84.5 percent (Catanduanes). Female voters’ turnout during this period was only 81.6 percent at the regional level while men’s was 79.9 percent. Camarines Norte had the lowest female voters’ turnout at 77.7 percent while the highest reached only 84.4 percent (Catanduanes). Among males, the lowest voters’ turnout was recorded in Camarines Norte (75.9 percent) with the highest reaching only 84.5 percent (Catanduanes).

The decline in voters’ turnout was greatest in Camarines Norte, which reached 10.7 percentage points between the 1998 and 2001 elections. Masbate followed closely with a decline of 10.6 percentage points. Between males and females at the regional level, the decrease in voters’ turnout was higher among men (9.3 percentage points) than among women (8.8 percentage points). Among females, decrease in voters’ turnout was highest in Camarines Norte (10.6 percentage points). Among males in the provinces, on the other hand, Masbate demonstrated the greatest decline at 11.8 percentage points between the two election periods.

The statistics do not only paint a picture of women empowerment among the electorate but more importantly, it portrays various pictures of the election scene that can be interpreted in different ways. For one, it can be a sign of the trust of the people – men and women alike, in the electoral process. The decline in voters’ turnout, which reached 9 percentage points at the regional level can be interpreted as an indication of the eroding faith of the people in bringing about change thru elections.

On the other hand, the decline can also be attributed to inability of some people to vote despite their registration. It can be noted that registered voters increased by 12.6 percent between 1998 and in 2001, with 11.6 percent increase in women voters and 13.8 percent rise in men. Nevertheless, the increase in the registered voters in 2001 did not bring about corresponding similar increases in the number of people who actually voted. Between the 1998 and the 2001 election, there was only 1.3 percent increase in the people who actually voted. The inability of some people to vote despite their registration can be due to the usual election problems such threats, disenchantment in the electoral process, missing names in the registry, impatience in the slow voting process particularly at peak hours, etc.

Source of basic data: Commission on Elections, Region V

 
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